The BGN News Archive

September 1, 2014

Another week of Blowfish going out and about....read on....
The Real Kids are doing warm up shows under different band names in
late August through September. These shows are under the radar but if you read,
gee.....say the BGN, you can figure out what's going on. So, there I was at
the Midway on Tuesday. There was a respectable amount of people there
and they were there for all the bands not just The Real Kids.

Night Slice,
a trio, were on stage and people were enjoying them. They had a B-52's
vibe to me, which is to say a cheesy keyboard sound, a big hairdo and wacky
lyrics. They are all about fun and did a good job that way. They had no drummer
just a drum machine. The guitarist was a good player.
My mind however is only on one group tonight they are called The Uber Girls.
Rick Harte was around making sure things were going smoothly. The Midway
sound is always loud and balanced every time I go and tonight was the same.
The regular guy had it all down. Outside John, Billy, Randall and Dickie
are looking good and in good sprits. A few fans are there but not many;
Arthur Freedman was there. This really does feels like a small secret
gig.

As they set up I see Billy Cole has a choice Rickenbacker
12 string. He uses it in the first four songs and it sounds rich and sharp,
just gorgeous. They begin with an old Beau Brummels' song Don't Talk to
Strangers. The 12 string along with John's Telecaster sound create
the perfect canvas for this tune. Both Billy and John are singing
and this goes on all night. The two voices are making a thick vocal sound. This
is one of the strategies they are working out.
They play Tell Me, She Don't Take It
and All Night Boppin'which are all rockers from the new
CD Shake Outta Control.
(Review) What a dream
group of songs. I'm in seventh heaven now. Next is Baby Blue a
cover from Badfinger which I've heard them do before. They double up on that
odd awkwardly graceful riff that connects the chords. They make the song their
own. They know how to choose the songs that have a unique character to them
that they can exploit.
They play some more songs off the CD and then Just
like Darts. Drumming, Randall Gibson was zoned in on the two
four beat. When he plays a fill or roll it's because the song wants it and it
pays off every time because he's not playing anything unnecessary. I love playing
like that.

The smaller club allowed me to focus more on Dickie Oakes
on bass which like the drumming always gave the song what it needed. The miracle
tonight was his small cabinet Ampeg. It was the size of a small guitar amp but
had a warm and punchy tone. He says it's the one he used in the studio for the
CD. That's a gem. Equipment wise John had his Telecaster and Fender tweed
amp. Billy had the Rickenbacker and a Les Paul going out of a small Vox.
Both had a pedal or two but basically what you get is the sound of the instrument
and amp. That's a different paradigm than what the pedal board army of guitarists
are doing.

The next band Looker
took the stage but again I was just too involved with the Real Kids to
give them attention. Sorry about that.
It was a dream gig on a perfect summer night. The Real
Kids mean a lot to us and I think it's obvious that they will be musical
legends beyond our time. People will imagine being at gigs like this just like
they imagine seeing groups at the Rat. It's not too late, there will
be more of these warm ups. Read the news below.
And, oh ya, the door? Five dollars.

I checked the group out at Club Bohemia this Thursday.
At 11pm there was almost no one there but the group played with full energy.
There was no sense of holding back at all as Dave sang with energy and
passion like he has every gig in the past. It was great to hear his voice again.
Dave doesn't do anything halfhearted so this group
has some quality players. The drummer was in Booker T and the MG's territory
and the guitarist had endless blues and country licks down. Although mainly
blues there is a little country influence; one country style song called Silver
Moon was an attention getter. I figured it was a cover because other
songs were, but no, it was a Dave Barton original. Dave had a
few other originals in there and they were all quality songs.

At one point Tammy Moschella, a tall attractive woman, sang a
few songs and she had a full bodied voice and belted out the songs. One an old
rock rave up and one a blues and she handled each like nobody's business.

They are playing around if you look at the listings. Dave is back.

I find myself back at the Club Bohemia/Cantab on Saturday. This night
we have the Count Viglione with his band Love and Flame with the
addition of Kenne Highland.

The first band tonight was Annie
Activator. They are an older band that is doing a reunion sort of thing.
(That's what Arthur Freedman thought; second time I've seen him this
week!) The songs are all power chords moving around with plenty of rhythmic
variation and fills to make them interesting. Then there's the singer who is
a carnival for the eyes. A slim woman bouncing around pierced, tatted up and
topped with bright pink hair. She and the band are entertaining.

At the
Rat Beach Party last yearKenne Highland joined the Count and
they did some jams on the Velvet Underground material that were very fruitful
so they decided to link up again tonight.
The Count comes gliding out in his cape and the game
is on. The group is ragged but that doesn't prevent them from having some fun.
They play Born on the Bayou that morphs into Sister Ray
and then to Smoke on the Water...say what! Lady Caroline
perks things up with the Pretenders' song Mystery Achievment..
Her strong voice was always a highlight of the Count's gigs and still
is. The Count gets winded these days so he slows things down with some
tales of his long music career. This is part gig part fireside chat.

One big surprise of the evening was Nelson Slater. He had a LP in 1974
produced by Lou Reed. The story here is that the cover was outrageous.
It had a woman bound with a chain in her mouth that raised the ire of women's
groups. I have it on my ALBUM
ART page on the Blowfish site if
you want to check it out. Nelson had no idea or say on the album art but it
sunk the LP anyway.

The music on the album is nothing like the cover. It's a
well done singer songwriter effort and has earmarks of Lou Reed's work.
Lou used to play one of the songs in concert. Nelson was saying that
Lou helped him write the material although Lou gets no song writing
credits on the LP. For this show it's just Nelson on keyboards and a
guitarist. I missed the full arrangements on the LP but there are flashes of
the good material that come through. I felt like it was a little catch up on
a rock and roll career that could have been. Nelson who played NYC before
here is not giving up though and has a new LP out called Steam
Age Time Giant.

The Cantab has been having some interesting shows and bills. Now they
say on their site that they are planning a LIVE CD and LIVE DVD of Club Bohemia
material. If you have high quality material from a Club Bohemia show contact
them at demodeal @ yahoo.com or go to the website http://clubbohemianews.blogspot.com/

Another reminder to check out Chris Atwood and his The
Alternative show on
WATD 95.9 FM especially for South Shore people. Last Friday he played Mass
Ave by Willie into Loretta by the Eaters and then Knock Me Down
by the Outlets. That's pumping out the Boston punk old school style.

The website Brooklyn Vegan did a story on The Pipeline Anniversary
celebration extravaganza spectacular coming up....check
it out here

So what's comin' up for gigs?....

And OK reallly??? According to the Boston
Globe the Rat Room for $600 to $900 a night. And there's a special The Backstage
Pass package starting at $1,095 a night. Also Jim Harold is writing a
foreword for a photo coffee table book for the room with photos by Phil N
Phlash and Richie Parsons. ...hopefully that'll be available to
everyone at some point.

And also OK Really??? At the Cantab on Poetry Slam night SEPT 10
will be the great John Cooper Clarke. That seems unbelievable to
long time Clarke fans but true. You can read
it here. And its three bucks to get in!!! He's visiting in the area so he's
doing this and another gig on Sept 22 on Church's
Punk Rock Monday...the cover this time? $5!!!

OK folks get ready for a crazy, exhausting and exciting couple of months of
music in Boston....read on...amazing shows coming up and lots of them.....

This week there's Tuesday Sept 2 - a punk show at The Middle East
UP with Bishops Green, Hammer and the Nails, For the Worse, Yellow Stitches,
The Damn Garrison *NOTE: its a slightly earlier than usual show with 7:00
PM Doors

Viva
La Eva Dos...another benefit for Eva Lipton is this ....Thursday
September 4th starting at 7PM at TT The Bear's ...on the bill are
Joe Queer & Friends, The Dogmatics, The Downbeat 5, Classic Ruins, Parlour
Bells, Moose & The Mudbugs, and Sonomatics ...see you there!!

Also this Thursday 9/4 at Tavern at the End of the World is the
return of KURT
BAKER! This should be a great show - his only 2014 appearance in Boston,
it was cancelled and is now back on.....and its a great bill all around with
The Kurt Baker Band (11:30) The Connection (10:30)and
The Dirty Truckers (9:30). Get there early folks!!

This FRIDAY September 5th!! Richie Parsons performing his Honey
& Tears songs along with The Dictators NYC at the Middle East
down. Added to the bill are Muck & The Mires and The Humanoids...wow-
it was already a killer show but now....!!!

You can download
Honey and Tears from iTunes for one.....or Bandcamp.....where
you can download or order the CD or the vinyl! or hunt Richie down and buy one
from him. Or you can get one at this gig if you can wait that long.

The annual Rock 'n' Roll Yard Sale is happening in Union Square Somerville
on Sunday September 7th!!! For the extensive list of vendors and for
other info check out their website.
There'll be all sorts of Vinyl Records and other Music Memorabilia and Equipment
+ Vintage and DIY Handmade Goods and there'll also be Live Music all afternoon
by Michael Tarbox, Reindeer (ex Swilies / Scarce), the Chris Monti Band, Keith
McCurdy of Vudu Sister...always a great event!!

Oh yeah on Tuesday September 9th at the MidwayBrian Young
hosts a show with Johnny & The Hartebreakers, The Classic Ruins and
Tsunami of Sound....so um, this "Johnny and The Hartebreakers"
better be good......or Mr. Harte may say "Who needs you"
and I hope they make me shake out of control.

Wednesday SEPT 10 At the Cantab on Poetry Slam night will be
the great John Cooper Clarke.

Tony Savarino is having a Record
Release Party on Thurs/Sept 11 at The Lizard Lounge to celebrate
his Guitararino cd.

The Legendary Shake Shakers are coming to the Middle East down September
12th.

And there's 4 straight nights of awesome shows at the Midway starting
with folk/punk showFriday 9/12 with Bryan McPherson, The Old Edison, Marl Lind and
Jeff Rowe.

Also on Friday the 12th there's a good show at The
Beachcomber in Quincy with Screw Cart (Former members of Kilslug
& Upside Down Cross, Toecutter, Ointment, and Noble Rot.)
, Deklaration, Truman Highaway and Black Friday...

And Bob Colby's back in business with his shows at Store 54 on
Friday the 12th he's got Count Zero, The Vivs and Uranium Daughters

But don't forget Sat. 9/13 is also Matt Burns' 60th Birthday Party!
He's celebrating at The Lizard Lounge. So far the bill includes Litehouse,
The Handymen, Kenne Highland, and more bands to come.....

Sunday September 14th --the Midway will bring us the legendary
UK band The Members!! also
with them are Greg Allen's Fringe Religion and OC45...here's the
FB page link

Then on Monday Sept 15th....not to be missed the band you never heard
of but want to see in this setting - The Shakes Outta Control, just click
their link and see where it brings you) but also on the bill TRiPLE THiCK,
Banditas and Jay Allen & The Archcriminals! This should be a
great night!

50 Years of Boston Rock, WMBR's Pipeline's 25 year Anniversary is coming
up!!! It's at various venues in Boston, Cambridge, Brighton, Somerville and
Arlington. Specifically it's going to be 13 shows featuring close to 80 reunited
Boston-area bands performing at 5 venues over 5 weekends from September
12 to October 12 - at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, The Middle East downstairs
in Cambridge, the Brighton Music Hall, the Regent Theatre in Arlington, and
Cuisine en Locale in Somerville, a new ballroom-like space with a capacity of
425.!! So get ready now. (There are current plans to add a 14th night to the
series) Tickets are now available at all venues!
Click to see the insanely long entire list of line ups on the Facebook
page

The first show has O Positive!!! it's Fri. Sept. 12 at Regent
Theatre, Arlington: The Freeborne, O Positive, Cordelia's Dad, We Saw
the Wolf, String BuilderTICKETS
can be had here

Sept 26, 27 & 28 is The
2nd Annual New England Shake Up it's Three Rockin' days of Bands! Record
Hops! Vendors! Car Show! Indoor Pool Party! And More! All taking place at the
lovely Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge, Massachusetts....Boston bands Jittery
Jack, The Rollin' Pins and Lynnette and The Longshots will be performing.

The Rat Beach Party set for September 27 & 28 (Sat
& Sunday) you get all the info on their
Facebook page new bands are being added.

Crash Safely is coming up
in September/October - night #1 is at The Midway on Saturday
September 27th with Pete Donnelly, Pete Hayes and John Powhida (Aka The
Petes), Watts, Gene Dante and The Future Starlets, The I Want You and
As The Sparrow

And Terry Brenner has a Garage
Rock Extravaganza on the North Shore! on Saturday the 27th with The
Connection (at 11), The Charms (at 10) and Corolla DeVille
( at 9) and its all happening at The Spotlight Tavern...for only $5!!

At BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL on Sunday Sep
28 is Pipeline super show Anastasia Screamed, The Flies, The
F.U.'s / Straw Dogs, Men & Volts, The Nervous Eaters,

on Friday Oct 3rd at MIDDLE EAST RESTAURANT DOWNSTAIRS we got
another amazing Pipeline Show with : The Blood Oranges, The Bristols,
Buttercup, Fuzzy, Lazy Susan, Robin Lane and The Chartbusters, Tacklebox

Saturday October 4th O'Brien's has a really good ...and long and early
starting show with 3PM doors: DRAGO, The FU's, Black Cheers, Silver
Screams, Quiggs and Little Richards ...you can read our write up
on the Quiggs and
The Black Cheers here from when we saw them at The Midway in March.

Next night Sunday Oct 5th Pipeline has something at The PARADISE
with Big City Rockers (Atlantics), The Charms, The Dents, High Risk Group, Reddy
Teddy, Shake the Faith, Willie Alexander & The Boom Boom Band.

October 5th - another amazing Sunday show at The Midway will
bring usThe Vibrators!!!
also on the bill MOTO and The Skeleton Beats. And the Vibrators
have a new record coming out September 16th on Cleopatra Records it's Punk
Mania - Back To The Roots: "14 killer reminders (plus 3 more on
the CD) as to why Knox, Eddie & Co. have built a long, successful career
on their razor sharp riffs and rousing hooks!"....check
it out here.

Friday October 10 is Night 2 for Crash
Safely Benefit this one's at the Midway again...and there's a
great line up with Petty Morals, Gymnasium, Tsunami of Sound and My
Own Worst Enemy.

And O'Brien's got an awesome extended show (with 3PM doors) on
October 4th with DRAGO, The FU's, Black Cheers, Silver Screams, Quiggs
and Little Richards. THIS is one great bill!! You can read
about the Quiggs and Black Cheers here, when we saw them at the Midway a
while back.

over at Store 54 Bob Colby Presents The Beachcombovers and Mars
on Saturday October 11th

The Gizmos are in Brooklyn at Union Pool on Saturday October
11th this line up will be Kenne Highland, Eddie Flowers, & Ted Niemiec
bringing the original 1976/77 Gizmos to NYC w/ assistance from Kenny
Kaiser (Afrika Korps), MJ Quirk (Kenne Highland Clan), & Matt
Burns (KH Clan) also on the bill: Lame Drivers, Milk Dick, & Liquor
Store.

Also on October 11th an all day affair with the
9th Annual Hot Rod Fallout in Glastonbury CT - Bands & Continuous Music
All Day
Vendors, Food, Booze, and more.....1963 & Older Traditional Styles Vehicles
- Hot Rods, Customs, Stock, Race and Bikes

Pipeline Show #13 - Sun. Oct. 12 at The Middle East Downstairs,
with The Gizmos (orioginal line up of Highland, Flowers, Neimec), The Bags,
The Voodoo Dolls, Kenny Chambers / Electric Ears (Moving Targets), The Underachievers,
Carrie Bradley (of Ed's Redeeming Qualities, The Breeders, The Buckets)
TICKETS
can be bought here

Monday October 13th there's a special show at Weirdo
Records with Eddie Flowers and Kenne Highland , its the day after their
Pipeline show at the Middle East Down. Pre Kenne'Eddie there's CTM opening
the night around 8pm and Cryostasium middle things out around 8:30-8:45.
If you know the album 'Vernietiging', you'll love the set. Triple guitar attack
all coming out of tiny l'il amps. Keep in mind that this is a TINY place so
if you want to see the sets best to get there earlier than later.

Friday October 17th is Night 3 of Crash Safely Benefit...this
time its at the Middle East Up and wow, the line up again is killer with
Township, White Dynomite, The Field Effect, Triple Thick and Animal
Hospital!!

Also on Oct 17th at The
Midway is Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys, Tigerman WOAH, Tail Light
Rebellion, and The Radiator Rattlers

Saturday October 18th there's a insane bill at The Cantab with
Kilslug, Hirudinea, Witch King and David Carradine

Ocrtober 25th we can see The Cranktones at The Midway again
kids...it's WMFO's Easy Ed presents:- The Cranktones, Johnny Carlevale
& The Rollin' Pins, plus Easy Ed's Record Hop!!! - great night!!!

The Damned are touring this Fall with TSOL. They are playing
Halloween in NYC but playing Boston on Saturday October 25th at the Royale...tix
here....

In November Bob Colby has his Store 54 show with When Particles
Collide and Powerslut on Saturday November 8th

And WHEW!! WHAT AN AWESOME show this'll be - (thanks Perry Adler for
emailing this on Amy Prohaska's list!!) Cavestomp ! & King Yum Records
Present: Lyres with Special Guests Wicked Cool Recording Artists Cocktail
Slippers, The Connection, TRiPLE THiCK on Friday, Nov 14,
2014 at The Middle East - Up. (Tickets
here) The
Cocktail Slippers, great Norwegian female band: The band's main
musical influences are Blondie, The Shangri-Las, Joan Jett, Foo Fighters, The
Ramones, and The Beachboys. Their real
good version of the Connie Francis/Ellie Greenwich song Dont Ever
Leave Me: